Within the passage, the towering Emperor Sword Mountain floated before the disciples' eyes.
Outside Emperor Sword Mountain stretched endless emerald plains dotted with rolling hills. At that moment, the disciples stood in twos and threes atop those hills, each bearing an extraordinary air as they surveyed the lofty mountain.
Li Hao, Yue Xi, and Gu Yan entered one after another, landing on a hill.
"I'll go on ahead."
After just one searching look, Yue Xi spoke immediately, then glanced past Li Hao at Gu Yan standing beside him.
Seeing that he wasn't looking at her, Yue Xi's eyes flickered. She turned and flew away without looking back.
Li Hao looked around, admiring the surroundings. He saw many disciples pause briefly before rushing toward Emperor Sword Mountain, each scrambling to get ahead.
As he casually surveyed the area, however, he noticed that his Junior Little Brother, Gu Yan, was still standing quietly beside him, making no move.
"Aren't you going?"
Li Hao asked in mild surprise.
"If everyone fights over it together, the difficulty drops. Even winning would be boring."
Gu Yan's expression was indifferent.
Li Hao paused, then chuckled despite himself. Tsk, so this was the pride of a supreme prodigy.
But did your mother know that talking like that could easily get you beaten up outside?
"Then I'll go on ahead."
With that, Li Hao joined the crowd of disciples heading toward the towering Emperor Sword Mountain.
Watching Li Hao fly away, Gu Yan's expression remained as still as an ancient well. He simply gazed quietly at Emperor Sword Mountain's summit, faintly sensing that a gaze there was watching him in return.
Soon, Li Hao reached Emperor Sword Mountain's first level.
An immortal power barrier enveloped it. Looking in from outside, he could see only hazy outlines of mountains